Alleged Gucci chain robber on trial
BVI News Staff - Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at 10:19 AM
The investigating officer and the virtual complaint Franklyn Montgomery gave evidence yesterday, February 20 on the commencement of the trial of Deshawn Mathew who is charged with theft, robbery and handling stolen goods.
In his testimony, Montgomery, who is a St. John, USVI resident, described the manner in which he was attacked on December 4, 2009 in Baugher’s Bay and robbed of his two Gucci chain. He told the court that he was familiar with the BVI for 23 years and had arrived on Tortola on the morning of December 4, 2009.
He said that he would normally stay at Nanny Cay, but was staying at a friend in Baugher’s Bay.
“On that night I was playing dominoes at Linda’s, pass the Bat Cave junction. I was walking to Linda’s. I like to hang out and play dominoes at that location. I was in a shorts and I was wearing a ball cap, VISAR cap and some glasses, two Gucci chains and a pair of shoe. One of them is a medium size and the other one had a pendant with a naked lady riding a merlot… I was there for about three to six hours. I had some beers eight to ten beers… I was heading up to the house where I was staying…no one was with me…,” he told prosecutor Valston Graham.
Montgomery recalled that he was walking to the right hand side of the road and that there was no one ahead of him.
“I was walking by myself heading home and I got jumped. I was walking. I got hit above the right eye with an object, it was bloody and I got attacked from behind by several guys… three or four. I did not recognize these individuals then a struggle ensued. Once I got to the ground I was kicked and hit. And that’s all I recalled and I got up… it lasted for a couple of minutes. As I got up I didn’t see anyone, everyone had left. After I got up I tried to find out and I see that my chains was missing and a taxi guy picked me up and took me to Peebles Hospital from there. I stayed overnight. They released me in the morning,” he stated.
The complainant further testified that his chains are valued at $2,200. He made a report to the Road Town Police Station on December 5, 2009.
etective Nadia Hodge-Dishon was the second witness to take the stand. She identified herself as the investigating officer in the matter.
Hodge-Dishon said she had taken the report made by Montgomery on December 5, 2009 at the Road Town Police station at about 7:30 a.m.
She told the court, under examination, that Matthew was arrested on December 7, 2009 on suspicion of robbery and the following day, December 8, the chains were found at his home.
In his opening statement, Senior Crown Counsel Graham told the court that after the report was made detectives carried out searches on several residents and found the two chains at Matthew’s residence.
He also urged jurors not to confuse witnesses’ bad memory for lying.
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